Holding the glass by the stem is so much more elegant than grabbing it by the bowl. Plus the warmth of your hand doesn't warm up the champagne, and you can see the lovely colour and the bubbles while it's in the glass.

Never, ever fill your glasses to the brim. Why? Because that leaves no space for the aromas to develop in the glass, and you don't have any room to swirl the champagne around in your glass which will help those lovely aromas to reveal themselves.

Resist the temptation to pour a tray full of glasses before your guests arrive.

If you do that not only will the champagne warm up after a few minutes, but worse, the fizz will soon die down. What a shame, when watching the bubbles as the champagne is poured is part of the magic of enjoying champagne.

So take the time to fill the glasses individually for each of your guests, as they arrive. They'll appreciate it.

When you're pouring is also the moment, to tell your guests what champagne you've chosen and why, giving you an "expert" status in their eyes – now that has a bit of style about it!

If there are too few bubbles in your bubbly, 9 times out of 10 it's the glasses, not the champagne, that are the problem.

﻿Avoiding one big mistake can make sure you have loads of bubbles every time

Saucers or flutes - it's up to you, but be aware of the difference it makes to the champagne

Let's face it flat champagne is not what you want at your stylish and elegant champagne party. Avoiding this disappointment is usually just a question of ensuring the glasses have been cleaned properly

When I say "properly" I mean that they've not been washed with detergent, or worse, been washed in a dishwasher with RinseAid.

You see, detergent and especially RinseAid leaves a film inside the glass making it almost impossible for the bubbles to "stick", to the inside surface of the glass. That means fewer bubbles and champagne that looks flat and definitely unappealing.

This can be a particular problem if you've hired glasses from a caterer because most of them don't know about this and use RinseAid to make the glasses sparkle - great intention... bad result.

﻿Instead

Wash your champagne glasses using just hot water – the hotter the better.

Then leave the glasses to dry

If necessary polish them up with a clean cloth

This way your champagne glasses will be in perfect condition and you'll avoid embarassment later when your guests start remarking that there are no bubbles.

The type of glass you use is really up to you.

The saucers (coupes) are fun and good if you want to mix your champagne into cocktails. One sugar cube with a couple of drops of Angostura Bitters and a good measure of brandy or cognac topped up with champagne is still a hard one to beat.

But to get the most out of your champagne use tall, tulip-shaped flutes. This shape that gently curves inwards at the brim allows the complex aromas to concentrate. You'll really be able to notice the difference and, if you've selected a special champagne for your party, you certainly won't want to miss out on that experience.

This was tip No.2 for the perfect champagne party. More tips coming soon